Being Friday the Twenty-fourth Day of August, 2018 ...

On this day in the year of the Lord 410 the Visigoths sacked the city of Rome ...

Even Berry was not sufficiently aged to remember the event, and nobody had any songs in celebration thereof.

Berry, however, (as MC,) approved of the herring-bone arrangement of our usual tables ...

That's only five tables to clear at the end of the evening!

Berry asked, "What do you make of this guy? ...

"Fishy," responded Angela.

Then we got on with music.

Berry went a shade of celestial blue ...

Laurie demonstrated a seamless key-change on his accordion in a delightful tune.
Dogsbody considered the origin of a stranded marine being ...

... a herring-hag is named.

Marion and Mick couldn't go out because Marion couldn't find something ...

Bob was very reluctant to put articulate some sadness ...

... how you broke my heart.

Angela pondered uncertainties ...

There was a temporary seating rearrangement as Berry joined Angela and Paul in a collaboration lamenting something about Pierrot and Columbine ...

It's over!

This rearrangement enabled Laurie to listen intently ...

Roger illicitly boarded a train ...

Then we all sang 'Good Night' to Irene, but Irene wasn't there!

Strange events of Friday the Seventeenth Day of August, 2018 ...

A certain person, known for instruments of percussion, but who would wish to remain anonymous, brought along his bodhran.
Oh, look, he's brought a stand for a guitar as well ...

Then he opened his guitar case ...

It's an air-guitar!

Paul began by dreaming ...

I want a girl to call my own.

Lynda greeted a new morning ...

Cruel cannons roar!

Berry invited us to treat him thus ...

... but love me!

Paul wanted freedom ...

I have tried, in my way ...

Mike related a tale of a notorious trade in human body-parts ...

"This one will make an ideal heart donor!"

Bryan, our resident philosopher-poet and true gentleman, does a lot of thinking ...

His poem enigmatically entitled It generated some discussion.
Bryan's wisdom paraphrases as follows ...
"Reality exists only in the past. After all, the present is ephemeral. In a microsecond it is gone - past. And the future holds no guarantees!"

Lynda serenaded us with some sound agricultural advice of biblical origin ...

Every leaf is borrowed.

Then we wished each other ...

Good night. Good night.

Fortunately Mike, bearing empty guitar case, did remember where he had left his motor car!

What was that song about the Isle of Tiree?

That was the question a friend asked me the other day.
I recounted all those songs and tunes about Hebridean islands that I could think of:
Mingulay Boat Song?  No.
Eriscay Love Lilt?  No.
Skye Boat Song?  No.
.. and so forth.

Later I received a message from my friend, "I think it was called 'Dark Island', and that it was used as a theme tune/song for something."

My memory cells slowly activated.
"Yes, I have heard that title," thought I.
I searched the club archive, (that's [Ctrl + f] in spreadsheets.)
"I have it!" I declared triumphantly.
Indeed, Laurie is documented as have played such a tune on 29th December, 2017.
Here's Laurie's friend, Sophia ...

Research followed.
(Isn't the www a wonderful thing!)
Indeed there was a BBC mini-series broadcast in 1962/3 that was called The Dark Island.
The delightful melody was composed in 1958 by Iain Maclaughlan who used an obscure title: Dr MacKay's Farewell to Creagorry.
David Silver added lyrics and the song became known as The Dark Island.
(There is another set of words by Stewart Ross to the same melody.)

I have a YouTube friend, Tony, from the Isle of Man. He has covered almost every 'folk' song you would care to think of. Here's his rendition ...

Then Mike Oldfield got hold of it ...

There's more to Mr Oldfield than Tubular Bells!

Being Friday the Tenth day of August, 2019 ...

We admired the new floor.
We were mostly relieved by the change in the weather.
Then we got on with the usual business.

There was universal bird-song ...

Singing of you.

Lynda related the story of an errant wife ...

I'd rather have a kiss ...

Mick took us on a train journey to ...

Bryan pondered about an unusual appearance in the sky ...

I see thunder-clouds building.

Angela received a farewell ...

I'm away to the sea.

Mick and Marion reminisced ...

Gone forever!

Lynda conveyed a holy message ...

Mike sang about East Texas ...

Do daffodils grow there?

Mick played a melody from his recent album ...

So did Laurie ...

Do you waltz, St. Richard?

A lady had a mysterious encounter ...

Your beauty so enticed me ...

Then we waltzed dreamily all the way home!

SOUNDWAVES: SOLOS FOR GUITAR ...

Now, see this ...

(Look carefully at bottom left ... this original artwork is signed by R. Gosbee.)

Yes, Mick has finally produced an album of his delightful music.

Hard copies not yet available, but you can find the digital album at Amazon.

Here's the link. (Also available on other commercial, digital platforms.)

The tracks are also out there on YouTube.

Here's one ...

Well done, Mick, and thank you for your music.

A Forthcoming Event ...

Do you remember last summer when we invaded Chidham for

a Barn Dance hosted by the Residents' Association?

Well, if you weren't there you missed a treat.

Now here's another one...

Chidham, Hambrook & Nutbourne East Residents’ Association (CHANE RA)

BARN DANCE

at

CHIDHAM VILLAGE HALL

Saturday 15^th September,

7.00 for 7.30 – 10.30pm.

Featuring the vibrant music of … 

CHANE RA Members £10.00. Non-members £12.00

Licensed Bar plus free nibbles.

For tickets, (in advance only please,) contact Colin on 01243 574021, or email: dbsandw@gmail.com.

or Richard: 01243 572699.

Of course, you will know that Stoney Ridge comprises Marion and Mick Tipper and their collaborators, as well as an excellent caller named Sarah. They are really good!

Here they are already getting set up for the next one ...

Dogsbody is currently occupied in manufacturing tickets.

There will be only 60 tickets and, since last year was a sell-out, please let me know ASAP if you would like to come.